Method and means for preserving and mailing specimens.



R. L. WATKINS.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRESERVING AND MAILING SPEGiMBNS.

AYPLIOATION FILED MAY 16, 1907.

1,015,601; Patented Jan.23,191 2.

WITNESSES INVENToR W m BO 6r$1 .?VZlkins nr ronusrs f ent ies. I

ROBERT L. wa'rxms, or New YORK, ,N. Y.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR Specification of Letters Patent. Application filedma 16, 1907.

PRESERVING AND MAILING SPECIMENS.

Patented Jan. 23, 1%12. Serial No. 373,984.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. VVA'rK Ns, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, and the State ofNew York, have invented a certain new and useful Method and Means forPreserving and rvrailingspecinins, of which the following is aspecification.

In recent years great progress has been made in diagnosing variousdiseases and ailments by a. microscopical examination of the blood, itappearing that each distinct disease of the system manifested by certainphysiological characteristics in the blood. Such microscopicalexaminations are made, however, by specialists located in the largercities, .and it-is necessary, quite frequently, to mail or otherwisetransport specimens a considerable distance, for the purpose ofwhichtransit great care must be taken to properly pack and preserve saidspecimens against drying or contamination.

The present invention appertains to a method of and means whereby aspecimen or sample of blood, or other material, for microscopicalexamination, may be preserved for a considerable period in practicallyits original state, or, atdeast, preserved to such extent as to revealto the skilled microscopist pathological condition when taken from theliving creature.

Tn the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one practical embodimentof the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understoodas illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a. perspective viewof the interior receptacle showing the cover removed therefrom; Fig. 2shows the same receptacle but with the cover in its closed position;Fig. 3 shows the said receptacle incased in a moisture containing innerwrapperandrest ing on \a moisture proof outside wrapper; and Fig. 4 is across section through the recept'acle and its two coverings and showingthe location ofthe specimens.

The main receptacle, which may be made of wood, metal or other suitablematerial is composed of two members A and B, which are provided withdepressed chambers, A, B, respectively, opposing each other. The member,13, is provided with a groove, a, and a tongue, Z), and the member, A,isprovided with a groove, (1', and a tongue, I),

the tongue and groove of the member, B, bemg complementary to the grooveand tongue of the member, A so that a substantially dovetail joint isformed on both sides of the receptacle when the two members, A and B,are placed in a closed position.

Between the members, A, B. is a glass slide, C, serving to form apartition between i I the chambers, A, B. The object of this glass slideis to permit of specimens being carried and kept independent in therespe'ctive chambers, A, B. The chamber, B, is, preferably, providedwith two thin cover glasses, 0, d, between which may be placed thespecimen, such as blood, 6. The chamher, A, may be provided with similarcover glasses, or, as shown in Fig. 4-, with a single cover glass, j",resting on the glass slide, C, with the specimen, 6, betweensaid plateand glass slide. havingbeen placedin the chambers, as described, and themembers, A, B, adjusted to a closed position, the receptacle is thenwrapped in absorbent foldable material, E, such as cotton batting, orblotting paper,

which has been saturated with water, or thereby 1ncasmg the specimens ina moist atmosphere,-

suitable antiseptic solution,

and preventing them from unduly drying.

The receptacle, with its moisture carryingwrapper, E, is then securelyinclosed in a covering 'of non-absorbing material,F,such as tin foil,the object of which to prevent the moisture escaping from the interiorwrapper, E. If it is desired to transmit only a single specimen, it willbe obvious that one of the chambers A, B, may be dispensed with.Further, insome cases, it may be found desirable to wrap the specimensand cover glasses in tissue paper or cotton to prevent the same beingdisplaced. When the specimens have been incased, as described, they maybe kept th rein almost indefinitely, and the package ma led or otherwiseshipped to its desired destination.

From the foregoing description of the invention, its mode of operationand utility will be obvious.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of preserving microscopic'al specimens which consists inincasing' them between glass in a substantially closed receptacle,wrapping said receptacle in a moisture containing covering, and furtherOne or more specimens Wrapping the said receptacle and a moisturecontaming covering in a non-absorbing cas- 2. The method of preservingmicroscopical specimens which consists in incasing them between glass ina substantially closed receptacle, surrounding said receptacle with amoist wrapper, and then incasing said receptacle and wrapper in tinfoil.

3. The herein described package for preserving and mailing specimensconsisting of a substantially closed receptacle adapted to incase amicroscopical specimen, a moisture containing wrapper surrounding saidreceptacle, and a non-absorbent covering inclosing said receptacle andwrapper.

The herein described package for preserving and mailing consisting of asubstantially closed receptacle, glass covers within said receptaclebetween which is adapted to be placed a microscopical specimen, a moisreceptacle and thereby providing a moist ture absorbing coveringsurrounding said receptacle, and a non-absorbing wrapper incasing saidreceptacle and covering.

5. The heretofore described package consisting of a substantially closedreceptacle adapted to contain a microscopical specimen, moistened cottonbatting surrounding said receptacle, and tin foil incasing said"moistened cotton batting, 3O

atmosphere in and around a substantially closed receptacle andpreventing the escape of moisture from the cotton batting by means ofsaid tin foil.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 35 name'to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ROBERT L. WATKINS.

' Witnesses J AS. H. GRIFFrN, H. I. BERNHARD.

